Edmonton: Driving instructor recruited prostitutes

An Edmonton driving school owner accused of recruiting his students to work as prostitutes at his two massage parlours was found guilty of being a pimp yesterday. Vishva Juneja, 64, was convicted of seven charges, including running a common bawdy house, living on the avails of prostitution, procurement and attempted procurement. Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Richard Marceau said he found Juneja had a “high degree of participation” in the prostitution-related activities at the two massage parlours and was the “keeper of both bawdy houses.”

‘SEXUAL ATTRIBUTES’

The judge ruled Juneja had advertisements with descriptions of the massage parlour workers that stressed their “sexual attributes rather than their massage abilities” As well, he used “low lighting” at the parlours and supplied “bags of condoms,” lubricants and porn movies and magazines and had a list of fines for the prostitutes.

“The accused specifically told the prostitutes that the minimum was a massage and a hand job for $100,” said Marceau. “He hired them for that purpose and he took money from them for rent of the room.” The judge also cited Juneja telling one recruit to charge a doctor he had lined up as her first customer $400 to $500. “In my view, it would be absurd to have some reasonable doubt that perhaps the doctor was ready to pay $500 for a holistic massage which was limited to hands, head and feet,” said Marceau. Juneja was acquitted of one charge of procuring after the judge ruled that while Juneja had encouraged the woman to work as a prostitute at his parlours, the former retail sales clerk had also spoken to friends about the sex trade. Defence lawyer Shawn Beaver is seeking a stay on the attempted procuring conviction, arguing it was a case of entrapment by the female undercover police officer. That application is slated to be heard on May 28 and sentencing is expected to proceed after the hearing. Juneja, who grimaced in the prisoner’s box and looked up at the judge a couple of times while he was being convicted, was allowed to remain on bail pending sentencing. Court heard yesterday that Juneja was targeted after allegations surfaced that he was trying to recruit students at his driving school to work at his massage parlours. None of the alleged students could be found. However, the police sent an undercover officer to take driving lessons.

DO IT FOR MONEY

Marceau ruled Juneja “crossed the line” when he told the officer how much money she could make working at his massage parlours and said to her that “girls have sex with their boyfriends so why not do it for money?” In closing arguments, the Crown alleged Juneja was earning in excess of $40,000 per month at his two massage parlours, Just for Men and Hustler’s Men’s Massage. At trial, one of Juneja’s so-called “angels” testified he evaluated his workers by making them give him a massage and masturbate him and said his catchphrase was “you’ve got to get laid to get paid.” The province has revoked Juneja’s driving school business licence as well as his driving instructor’s licence.